For many obvious reasons and others that are not so obvious, such as adverse road conditions and inattentiveness on the part of other drivers, riding on two wheels may be inherently more dangerous than riding in a four-wheel vehicle. While most motorcycle injuries are suffered by younger riders, there has been a noticeable increase (247 percent over a recent eight-year period) in injuries experienced by motorcyclists over the age of 50. While these riders may have finally realized their long-held dreams of owning a bike, their reaction times, dexterity, and physical conditioning may have dropped off in the ensuing years. To counter these effects, a formal motorcycle-riding course is highly recommended, along with comprehensive insurance.
NOTE: Not only has there been an increase in the number of accidents involving older motorcyclists, this age group is also more likely to sustain more severe injuries than younger riders.